Sydney (South) - Haymarket

Population growth drivers in Sydney (South) - Haymarket are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Sydney (South) - Haymarket's population is around 25,216 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 5,281 people (26.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,935 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,756 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 284 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 23,348 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly sought resource. Sydney (South) - Haymarket's 26.5% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state (7.8%) and Greater Sydney, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 93.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. As we examine future population trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas is forecast, with the area expected to grow by 10,129 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 34.4% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Sydney (South) - Haymarket was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Sydney (South) - Haymarket has seen around 170 new homes approved each year, with 854 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 0 so far in FY-26. With an average of 2.3 people per year moving to the area per new home constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), indicating healthy demand that should support property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $573,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Additionally, $163.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

When measured against Greater Sydney, Sydney (South) - Haymarket records somewhat elevated construction (41.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. Meanwhile, new construction has been completely comprised of townhouses or apartments. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Population forecasts indicate Sydney (South) - Haymarket will gain 8,669 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 73 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Mariyung Fleet (New Intercity Fleet), Atlassian Central, Central Place Sydney, and Harbourside Redevelopment by Mirvac, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Sydney (South) - Haymarket possesses a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation and an unemployment rate of just 1.7%. As of December 2025, 14,506 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 2.4% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (65.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 38.1% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise accommodation & food, professional & technical, and finance & insurance. The area shows particularly strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 4.3 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 6.3% versus the regional average of 14.1%. With 2.6 workers for every resident, as at the Census, the area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.1% alongside a 0.5% employment decline, causing unemployment to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Sydney (South) - Haymarket. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Sydney (South) - Haymarket's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Sydney (South) - Haymarket SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $42,667 with the average level standing at $95,679. This is exceptionally high nationally and compares to levels of $60,817 and $83,003 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $46,447 (median) and $104,156 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household income ranks at the 73rd percentile ($2,108 weekly), while personal income sits at the 52nd percentile. Income analysis reveals the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 34.6% of residents (8,724 people), consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 30.9% in the same category. Economic strength emerges through 31.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 25.8% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 58th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Sydney (South) - Haymarket, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 0.1% houses and 99.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Sydney (South) - Haymarket was lagging that of Sydney metro, at 12.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (11.0%) or rented (76.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Sydney metro average at $2,600, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $620, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, Sydney (South) - Haymarket's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 50.3% of all households, comprising 9.2% couples with children, 33.5% couples without children, and 4.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 49.7%, with lone person households at 30.4% and group households comprising 19.3% of the total. The median household size of 2.3 people is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

The educational profile of Sydney (South) - Haymarket exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Sydney (South) - Haymarket significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 53.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 36.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 26.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (18.9%) and certificates (7.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 43.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.8% in tertiary education, 2.0% in primary education, and 1.6% pursuing secondary education.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Public transport analysis reveals 93 active transport stops operating within Sydney (South) - Haymarket, comprising a mix of ferry, train, light rail, and buses. These stops are serviced by 111 individual routes, collectively providing 72,289 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 147 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; walking is notably common at 29%, with 28% by train and 17% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 0.1 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A high 38.1% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 10,327 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 777 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Sydney (South) - Haymarket, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 69% of the total population (17,323 people). This compares to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 2.9% and 2.9% of residents, respectively, while 90.9% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The area has 4.9% of residents aged 65 and over (1,222 people), which is lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Sydney (South) - Haymarket is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Sydney (South) - Haymarket is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country, with 76.0% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 82.9% born overseas. The main religion in Sydney (South) - Haymarket is Buddhism, which makes up 30.2% of the population, compared to 4.1% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Sydney (South) - Haymarket are Chinese, comprising 33.5% of the population (substantially higher than the regional average of 8.4%), Other, comprising 33.3% of the population (substantially higher than the regional average of 16.0%), and English, comprising 9.1% of the population (notably lower than the regional average of 19.0%). Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of other ethnic groups: Korean is overrepresented at 3.1% in Sydney (South) - Haymarket (vs 1.1% regionally), Spanish at 0.8% (vs 0.6%), and Vietnamese at 2.2% (vs 1.8%).

Sydney (South) - Haymarket hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

At 31 years, Sydney (South) - Haymarket's median age is notably under the Greater Sydney average of 37 and is significantly lower than the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Sydney, Sydney (South) - Haymarket has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (41.4%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (2.2%). This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. In the period since 2021, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 19.8% to 21.6% of the population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 5.0% to 4.0%. Demographic modeling suggests Sydney (South) - Haymarket's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, expanding by 1,890 people (18%) from 10,431 to 12,322.